


I Wanna See You Falling, So I Can Pick You Up.

by Velocity_Owl87



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Break Up, Developing Relationship, Discussion of Abortion, Male Friendship, Marriage of Convenience, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical, Moral Dilemmas, Mpreg, Multi, One Night Stands, Original Child Characters, References to Illness, Social Commentary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-12 21:18:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10499664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velocity_Owl87/pseuds/Velocity_Owl87
Summary: Iker Casillas didn't mean to stumble across Sergio Ramos as he had a breakdown in the locker room bathroom. He hadn't meant to get involved with the new Omega kid fresh from Seville and his problems, which quickly came to light as being worse than Iker had ever suspected. One of those being an unplanned pregnancy and the Alpha responsible nowhere to be found.Iker, knowing full well what happens to unclaimed pregnant Omegas has to decide whether he can simply walk away from the scene he had unwittingly stumbled upon, or to make the sacrifice to keep his friend from losing his future to a simple mistake.And once he decides, will he be able to keep up his side of the bargain? Will Sergio?





	1. The Secrets We Sold Will Never Be Known

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't mean to write another Seriker, but it hit me that in my stories, Iker is always the one that needs to be saved. In this one, I turned it around.  
> It's still set in a pseudo dystopian Spain, where Omega rights are almost non-existent.  
> Proofed and title is from "I'm Running" by Misstress Barbara.

Iker put the cup of hot chocolate down in front of Sergio before he sat down across from him with his own cup of coffee. He didn’t quite know if Sergio even drank hot chocolate, but he figured that it couldn’t hurt. Especially since the kit was still shaking and not quite composed after the nasty shock that had befallen him.

He watched as Sergio nodded his thanks and wrapped his hands around the cup, as if to leach warmth from it and to stop his hands from shaking. Iker took a sip of his own cup, but said nothing as he waited for Sergio to pull himself back together. He wasn’t going to rush the Omega. That would be cruel and that was the one thing that he had always strived not to be. So he waited, even though he was going to be late for dinner and Eva was going to be pissed _again._

What could he do? The kit had just come up from Seville and was wet behind the ears and oh did it show. He was prey and even though they had done a hell of a good job in keeping the worst of the Alpha creeps off...One had slipped through. He knew he would have to ask who it was in time. Right now, he had to calm a jittery Omega who had just found out he was carrying a kit and come up with some kind of plan on the fly.

He also suspected, as he watched Sergio lift the cup to his mouth and look at him, that there was no doubt it would take a good part of the evening for that to happen. His dinner plans were completely and utterly fucked and he was going to have to make it up to Eva. _Again._

He mentally shied away from that monumental task and instead focused on what he needed to do at that particular moment. He mentally ticked off what he needed to do now that they were here, away from the locker room bathrooms and the evidence hidden. No doubt he’d have to make discreet phone calls. He probably would have to take Sergio to his home. Pick up some food and some clothes for him and make excuses for him when management came calling.

He sighed quietly and took a swallow of his milky coffee. This wasn’t what he was expecting to do that day, but he couldn’t walk away now. He had to step up and help in any way that he could. He wasn’t that kind of an Alpha to leave an Omega in distress. Even if he was well aware it wasn’t any of his business.

Nor was it his kit.  

Iker knew that the smart thing to have done was pretend that he hadn’t seen Sergio on the toilet, swearing and crying, his face streaked with tears and snot as he did so. He should have just apologized for the intrusion and carried on. He knew that he couldn’t simply back away when Sergio looked up at him with those chocolate eyes of his that were wordlessly pleading for help. Any help. Iker knew he was in it till the end when he saw the plastic test that Sergio was clutching in his hand that clearly showed a pink plus sign.

Maybe it was instinct, or maybe it was just his tendencies as a big brother. Or maybe it was simply because he had accepted Sergio as his pack Omega. He never would have a satisfactory answer. He just knew that he had to do something for Sergio.

That was how he found himself pulling the kit into his arms and humming at him until the tears and hysteria passed.

Once that had happened, Iker wordlessly grabbed a washcloth and wet it before wiping Sergio’s face clean. It was oddly familiar and he couldn’t help but to recall how he had done this exact thing with his Beta brother when they were children. Sergio though, was quite docile and passively let Iker clean his face and hand him some wadded up toilet tissue to blow his nose. He finished and shoved it and the stick into his pocket to dispose of later.

Although Iker felt a bit squeamish about seeing him do that, he understood. Sergio was the youngest Omega on the team at the moment. No mated Omega would be careless enough to leave a pregnancy test lying about in the locker room. And if Iker recalled correctly, there was no one who would be likely to be breeding at that specific time. Maybe Beckham? Or Owen?

He wasn’t sure and didn’t care enough to even pursue that train of thought any further. The point was that Sergio certainly needed to erase his tracks until something had been figured out. Something that they needed to address fast, Iker thought as he watched Sergio take a long swallow of his hot chocolate and put the cup down. Hopefully something could be done quickly so that he could at least salvage something of his evening and not fracture his relationship with Eva any further.

Although if he was being honest, that ship had already sailed. As if reading his thoughts, his phone chirped at him. He cast Sergio a sidelong glance and seeing him absorbed in his chocolate, he slid his mobile out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

_“Where are you? I’m already here.”_

“Girlfriend?”

Sergio’s voice breaks into his thoughts and he looks up from the screen to nod tightly.

“You don’t have to stay if you have plans already. I’ll be fine. I’m okay now.”

Iker’s lip curled at that naive comment. There was no way that Sergio would be fine. The kid couldn’t even drive and had sent his ride home. He was still too shaken to act normally if he did get another ride and there was no way that he’d be able to handle the metro system.

Not to mention the fact that now that Iker was aware of Sergio’s condition, he could smell a clean, milk scent mingled in with the usual tart Sevillian Orange blossom that was Sergio’s scent. He belatedly realised that what he had thought was simply a cologne or deodorant for the past few weeks was the scent of a breeding Omega. He felt a bit like a dolt and made a mental note to subtly poke around and see if anyone had been any wiser.

“It’s not a problem. Can you sit here alone for a few minutes while I do?”

Iker asked crisply, the Alpha command a slight edge in his voice. He didn’t want to force Sergio into doing anything he didn’t want to, but he wasn’t a fool. He knew that Sergio would bolt the moment he turned his back. It wasn’t that the kid was an idiot, but he was scared and backed into a corner and the first instinct of any scared and cornered Omega was to run.

Sergio’s eyes flashed, but he stayed put, his hands still wrapped around the now empty cup. He gave it a forlorn look and Iker made a mental note to make another order and to add some churros to it as well. Not the healthiest of things, but he figured the kid could use a treat.

He walked to the washrooms, passing by the counter to make the order and went into the Alpha toilets. Locking the door behind him, he dialed Eva’s number and mentally braced himself for the battle he knew was going to take place.

_“Hello? Iker? Where are you? I thought we were supposed to go for dinner tonight.”_

Iker winced. He was damned aware that they were supposed to go to dinner. They had planned it for weeks after either one of them couldn’t make it due to work or family obligations.

“I’m at a cafe near the Bernabeau. There was an emergency with one of the rookies and I couldn’t leave. I don’t think I’ll make it on time. Unless you want to wait an hour?”

He knew it was a last moment ditch to placate her for ditching her. He wasn’t going to lie to himself. Despite all of his good intentions, he was ditching her. It was then that he asked himself why didn’t he just call Sergio’s agent and wash his hands out of the situation. Or take the out that Sergio himself had provided.

Yet he couldn’t find it in himself to walk away from a terrified kit, far away from home and all he knew and faced with one of the biggest decisions in his life so far.

He knew that if he did, he’d never be able to look at himself in the eye ever again.

“ _No. I can’t. Listen...Iker...Do you even_ want _to be in a relationship? It’s looking to me like it’s the last thing you want to be in at this moment. So why don’t we just stop this charade and just call it a day while we’re still able to stand each other, okay?”_

Iker pinched the bridge of his nose before he replied. He knew that the day was coming. He had seen the writing on the wall, but had tried to make it work, despite the obvious difficulties. He was glad that Eva was independent and had her own life when he was busy with football. Their conflicting schedules had been a potential problem he had been aware of from the outset, but he thought they could work around it.

Clearly, both of them had overestimated how much they could work around that issue until it simply had become the deal breaker. He wasn’t angry or sad. He was rather resigned since he knew that she was right and it was better to end it fast and painlessly than drag it on.

“Yeah. Okay. We can do that. Do you want to pick up your stuff or-”

She sighed heavily and Iker was sure that she was rubbing her temple like she did when she was exasperated with her shell like fingernails pressing into the skin hard.

_“Just mail it to me. I’ll do the same. Bye Iker.”_

The call ended and Iker made a note on the calendar to do just that. Once he was done, he shoved his phone into his pocket and went back to the table, feeling curiously light and refusing to dwell on the fact that he had just ended a relationship and felt nothing as he did so.

He sat down on the table and saw that the new order had arrived just a few minutes prior to his return and Sergio was sitting idly dipping a churro into his hot chocolate.

Iker took his coffee and poured a bit of milk in it. As he stirred it, he looked at Sergio.

“So do you want to start from the beginning, Sese?”

Sergio took his churro out of his hot chocolate and took a bite, chewing slowly as he mulled over the question. He swallowed and then spoke.

“I was feeling off for a few weeks. I didn’t catch on what it was and thought it was the move and the stress of getting on the roster. The different food maybe.”

He chewed on his bottom lip for a while before continuing his explanation.

“I didn’t catch on until I started to _smell_ the Alphas and the Betas. I had an idea, but it wasn’t until the doctor started asking about when I had my last heat that I put it together and got the test.”

He gave Iker a lopsided, nervous smile that made Iker’s instincts give a twinge.

He understood what Sergio was talking about. Most Alphas and Beta scents were pretty mild. Betas had neutral kinds that reminded Alphas and Omegas of clean laundry: Fresh, welcoming, but ultimately inoffensive. Alpha scents were always strong. He knew that from experience.

Eva had always said that his scent reminded her of petrichor in a boreal forest and she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Most Omegas were scent blind at least until they went into heat. Or were breeding.

That wasn’t supposed to happen at least until an Omega was about twenty or so. Some did breed in their teens. But it was after a proper courtship and a mating. Not just a heat coupling and no claiming bite. He had looked at Sergio’s neck and hadn’t seen a bite and suspected that there hadn’t been a promise made either.

“So what are you going to do? Are you going to contact your Alpha? Is he in Seville?”

Sergio’s face went red at the mention of an Alpha and he shrunk down into his chair.

“He’s in Madrid. But he’s not my Alpha. He, um, didn’t claim me.”

Iker’s vision sparked white hot at the new piece of information. He knew it happened on occasion. Not all Omegas were mated or claimed when they invariably ended up breeding. Of those Omegas, some managed to get mated with Betas or some desperate Alphas. Of those that didn’t they ended being shunted to the margins and treated as state property when a match was nowhere to be seen. The kits didn’t suffer and were provided for, but their dams always ended up being sad creatures living in institutions for the rest of their lives.

More often than not, the Omegas offspring ended up repeating the same mistakes of their dams. Iker tapped his fingers on the table as he fought to not think about Sergio ending up wearing the grey blue clothes of an Omega institute and fading away behind its walls as he waited to die. No one was exempt from that fate. Even if they were blessed with the potential skills Iker was aware that Sergio possessed.

So he forced himself to not think about it and instead focused on the matter at hand.

“Is he going to?”

Sergio’s face was nearly wine red at that question.

“He...Uhm...He doesn’t know I’m breeding.”

Sergio looked down and hunched even further into his jumper, only leaving his eyes visible as Iker wiped his mouth his hand and blinked in an effort to not give into his impulse to shake a name out of Sergio and hunt the Alpha down to make him face up to his responsibilities.

“Can you find him and tell him? We could do it now before it gets to be too late.”

Sergio sat up and looked at Iker steadily.

“I appreciate the offer, but we can’t simply go get him. Not when he’s in England.”

Iker’s eyes snapped wide at the quiet reply. There was only one Alpha that had transferred recently to England and that meant…

 _“Puta Madre_ , Sese. You don’t do anything by halves, do you?”

~*~*~*~*~

Nando was woken up from a deep sleep by his mobile buzzing loudly by his head. He reached out and slapped it until he finally was able to grasp it and answer it.

“Torres speaking.”

He ground out as he covered his eyes with his arm and waited for a reply.

“Nando? Hey, uhm, it’s Sergio. Sergio Ramos? From Real Madrid?”

Nando was instantly awake when he registered those words. Sergio Ramos. The Omega on the national team. The wonderboy of Seville that Real Madrid had paid a ridiculous amount of cash for. The one that had looked at him with those chocolate eyes under chestnut lashes that had melted his resolve and had him shoving him onto the nearest horizontal surface. The one that had intoxicated him with his orange blossom scent and made him forget his wife to be.

A cold pit opened up at the bottom of his stomach.There would only be one reason why an Omega would be calling after a shared heat.

Despite his heart hammering in chest, Nando sat up and forced himself to remain calm. It possibly couldn’t just be about breeding. Surely not. They had used protection. Even in the throes of heat, Nando had made sure he always used a condom. And he was pretty sure that none had broken, from what he recalled.

“Yeah. I remember you, Sergio. What’s up?”

Nando replied, his voice still rough, but steady.

“I don’t have an easy way of saying this...But...I’m breeding. I went to a doctor and he said I’m ten weeks.”

Nando kept quiet as he let the news sink in. Little Sese Ramos was carrying his kit. And he was engaged to be married in two months to his Beta high school sweetheart.

“OK. So...What are you going to do?”

Nando asked. He was still wrapping his head around the fact that Sergio was breeding. They hadn’t really kept in touch after the last call up and that sizzling two days of Sergio’s heat. So to get a call out of the blue that he was going to be a sire really did his head in.

“Wait, what? What do you mean what am I going to do? It’s your kit too, Nando! I can’t raise it alone and I’m not going into a state run home either! So what are _you_ going to do?”

Nando blinked at that. “Sergio...Are you asking if I’m going to mate you?”

Sergio snorted. “Isn’t that fairly obvious? I didn’t knock myself up. It’s your responsibility too.”

“Sergio...I mean...Look. We spent a heat together. That was all. I have a fiancee. I’m getting married into two months. How can you actually expect me to drop everything to mate a one night stand just because they called me up and told me they’re breeding?”

There was silence on the other end and Nando had to double check to make sure that the line hadn’t accidentally cut off before he heard a muffled sound.

“Are you fucking serious, Torres? I’m carrying your kit! You know what the laws are like in Spain!”

Sergio shouted in a near hysterical voice.

“I could lose my contract at the very least and my freedom at the worst! This is your kit!”

Nando pressed his fingertips against his closed eyelids and tried to push the guilt down. Sergio was right, of course. He was well aware of those poor souls whose luck had run out. Even though the news of a prospective kit made a small part of him want to head back to Spain to mate and bond Sergio properly, the larger part of him shrugged it off.

It had been a fun interlude, he wasn’t going to deny that. But it wasn’t enough to make him feel responsible for Sergio. He had his own life already mapped out. He was in Liverpool. He was going to get married and have a family with Olalla. There was no way he was going to change his plans for anyone. Not even Sergio Ramos, as enchanting as he was.

He also knew, deep down, the idea of being a father at nineteen scared the fuck out of him.

So he did the cruelest thing he could think of at that moment.

“Not until I get a DNA test. How do I know it’s mine? I haven’t been there. You could have shared another heat with some other Alpha for all I know.”

He knew he had succeeded when he heard the clatter of a mobile being dropped. He was about to hang up when another voice came on.

“What did you say to him?”

Nando swallowed at the low growl. Iker Casillas.

“I’m not going to mate him. Or bond him just because he says he’s carrying my kit.”

Iker laughed, but it was a laugh that was devoid of any humour at all.

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that, Torres? He’s a fucking kit himself, for fuck’s sake! Don’t you fucking care he could lose everything?”

Nando rubbed his eyes before he opened them again.

“It was a one night stand. We used protection. End of story. Unless I get a DNA test confirming it’s mine, not my problem.”

Iker scoffed at that. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Torres.”

The call ended and Nando only tossed his phone back on his nightstand and crawled under the covers again.

In mere moments, he had pushed the entire incident out of his mind and had fallen back into sleep again.

~*~*~*~*~

“So that’s it, then.”

Iker said as he put Sergio’s mobile down on his table. He had driven them back to his house, figuring that Sergio needed something more homelike than the sterile flat he had been renting while he looked for a place. Iker wasn’t exactly into home decor, but had hired someone who knew enough to make his house an actual home.

Sergio nodded as he sat there with tears silently coursing down his face as he absorbed the blow of Nando’s words. He was utterly miserable and all he wanted was to crawl into bed, close his eyes and sleep until this nightmare he found himself in was over.

“I never thought he’d be so cruel.”

He murmured, wiping his face with his sleeve before sighing. He felt like he had gone through a grinder after that conversation and simply wanted to sleep. Maybe in the morning it would look better.

Iker crossed his arms and sighed. He too, didn’t think that Nando would have been so cruel. He expected Nando to balk, but eventually come around. The outright rejection made Iker get angry again. He couldn’t imagine being so callous with an Omega, never mind that Omega’s future.

Sergio was utterly fucked. There was simply no way around that fact. He briefly toyed with suggesting that Sergio maybe look into getting an abortion. Especially after that gem of a conversation. But a quick google search after Sergio had gone into the bathroom to cry in private had nixed that idea.

Despite abortion being legal in the first trimester, for an Omega male, the frame was much narrower. If Sergio had known he was breeding three weeks earlier, it could have been possible...If his Alpha had given permission. And despite being an utter fucktard, Nando hadn’t even gone near that possibility. Sergio’s father would have never given consent.

So he was stuck with a fatherless kit and once the team found out about it, his contract would no doubt be rescinded and he’d be out on his ass. The next stop would no doubt be to the Omega center. And he’d probably be mated to some less than adequate Alpha or Beta. Or worse, be locked up for the rest of his life behind walls as impenetrable as monastery ones.

The kit would be shoved into service if it was an Alpha or a Beta. If an Omega, domestic service. Who would no doubt find themselves in the same situation as their dam. Iker shuddered at all the outcomes.

Sergio was just a _kit._ He wasn’t even a proper adult yet and he was going to lose his entire future because he had trusted the wrong man. Just because of an innocent mistake, he was going to be punished for the rest of his life.

“Never thought he was that cold, to be honest.”

Iker replied as he grabbed a chair and sat down across from Sergio, who had wiped his face again after the tears had finally stopped.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. Other than ending out on my ass at an Omega Center, that is. My family’s going to disown me once this gets out.”

He looked down at his stomach, which looked a bit rounder than Iker recalled now that the heavy jumper was gone. Sergio was right. He had maybe two months at the most. He had a countdown in his mind now and the bleakness that had settled in his eyes made Iker’s heart hurt.

Sergio shouldn’t have to look like that ever. Iker could count on one hand the number of times he had ever seen Sergio without a smile. It was unnatural to see Sergio be serious or look so bereft and broken. He couldn’t have Sergio look like that for the rest of his life. Not when he, Iker Casillas, could do something about it.

“Well...There is one thing that you can do.”

Iker stated, making Sergio look up with undisguised hope in his eyes.

“I could become your Alpha.”

Sergio’s jaw dropped at the suggestion.

“Are you sure? Even knowing it’s Nando’s kit...You’d do that for me?”

Iker nodded. He’d had time to think about it after looking up the abortion protocols. Sergio had been in the bathroom for a really long time. Long enough for Iker to really think about the decision. To look up some legalities and draft an email to his agent and to the board.

He knew that he’d be responsible for Sergio and the kit. He was well aware that he’d be tied to them for seven years at least. If Sergio fell in love with another Alpha or he did the same with an Omega, they could dissolve the union with no repercussions and none would be the wiser. People change. Youth matings didn’t always pan out.

He had asked himself if he could make that sacrifice to keep Sergio by his side where he belonged. To keep him and his kit out of a life of misery, was he willing to give up seven years of his life? Did he have it in him to make that kind of moral sacrifice?

Iker had hesitated before giving himself an answer. He knew he wasn’t an exceptionally good man. Nor was it effortless with him. He had to work at being nice and fair to everyone he met. He knew that wanting to do the moral thing and _doing_ the moral thing were different. So he had thought hard and the idea of losing Sergio had nearly destroyed him when he thought about it.

That possibility of a loss when he could have prevented it had been the decider for him. The rest had come quite easily after that.

“I thought about it.”

Iker admitted as he ran his hands through his hair, his gaze fixed on Sergio’s face, which had lost its haunted look and was looking more like his usual sunny self.

“I thought about calling you a car and wishing you luck. But knowing that you’d end up losing everything and miserable when I could have done something made me change my mind. The thought of losing you to one mistake when you had acted in good faith was unbearable to me.”

Sergio blushed pink at Iker’s words and swallowed hard. He was touched, if he was honest. He didn’t think that Iker had noticed him before that afternoon, never mind cared. So to hear him say all those things made Sergio’s heart ache.

“So I know that this isn’t the most romantic proposal ever, but Sergio Ramos Garcia, would you be my mate?”

Sergio got up and stood in front of Iker, who also got off his chair.

Sergio looked straight into Iker’s eyes as he then unbuttoned his shirt and bared his neck to Iker.

Iker’s canines elongated at the sight of the submissive gesture from Sergio in contrast with him not lowering his eyes. Iker respected that show of backbone. He had been afraid that Sergio had been crushed by Torres and his deliberate cruelty. Yet the defiance Sergio was showing not lowering his eyes as an Omega would usually during a claiming reassured him.

It also made enough sparks of desire go through him to be able to pull Sergio into his arms and swiftly bite into the juncture of neck and shoulder and pierce the bonding gland at the base of his neck.

Sergio whimpered, but didn’t cry out as Iker pulled away from the cleanly bitten, if raw looking bite. He had licked it enough to heal the edges, but had mostly left it as it was.

Sergio was his.

  



	2. In the Loneliest Place You've Ever Been, I'm With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio examines the complicated relationship he has with Iker as they prepare to deal with the team. While in Liverpool, Fernando sees the fallout from a situation that he'd rather quickly walk away from if he's to build something for himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to have Sergio get his say, since I didn't want for just Iker to tell the story of what was going to happen. I also wanted for Fernando's life and his reasons to get a bit of a spotlight.   
> Title is from "I'm With You" By the Stills.

Sergio twisted the bracelet that Iker had put on his wrist earlier that morning, focusing on the silver glint of the delicate scrollwork as he waited for their agents and the board of Real Madrid and their manager to come. Iker was sitting next to him, his hand on Sergio’s knee. It was a warm weight on his knee and Sergio wasn’t sure how he felt about that. 

It wasn’t that he wasn’t tactile with people. He had a reputation for hanging off of Jesus and Antonio in his Seville days. He was always one of the first to give hugs whenever they had won. Especially if a game had been hard-won. It was just part of who he was. 

Yet, when it was Iker, he ended up being inexplicably shy and awkward. Despite the well healed bondmark on the side of his neck and their having shared a bed ever since that night, he wasn’t comfortable touching or being touched by him. He was somewhat relieved that it was more of a one sided situation. He didn’t honestly know what he would have done if Iker had been standoffish or had pushed him away after that time.

Iker hadn’t pulled away when Sergio had curled up against him in the middle of the night when he had been seeking warmth. Nor had he seemed surprised to wake up with Sergio plastered to his side. He just took everything in stride as he had since the beginning.

Sergio knew that Iker understood whenever the Alpha had smiled at him and pressed a kiss to his forehead before getting out of the bed, gathering up his clothes and going into the ensuite. It had been a quickly developed pattern and Sergio appreciated the thoughtfulness. Not only did it give him time to grab his own clothing for the day and head to the master bath in the hallway, it gave him a bit of breathing room before he got himself ready to face the day. Once that was done, he’d take a shower and get dressed. That was if morning sickness didn’t have him on his knees. 

It wasn’t frequent, though, which he was grateful about now that his appetite had come back. He was relieved that was the case, but also not pleased with the fact that he was showing. He had known that was going to happen. He had gone to health classes at school. Yet it still bothered him when he was starting to notice that his wardrobe was getting severely limited. 

He supposed that was the payback for male Omegas having shorter gestation periods. In two weeks, it was painfully obvious that he was carrying, his stomach becoming rounder and sticking out a bit. He was grateful that his uniform shirt was fairly baggy and did a decent job of camouflaging it somewhat, but time was running out fast. 

That had been the only reason why he had gone along with Iker’s suggestion of mating the week after the disastrous phone call to N-Torres. It was also why only just now did they contact their agents and the head office to talk. 

“The more of a paper trail in regards to the situation, the more believable the situation will be that it was a spur of the moment decision we’re trying to make right.”

Iker had explained as he had double-checked the paperwork while Sergio drank mint tea to soothe his finicky stomach. He nodded as he watched Iker slip the red and green edged certificates into the green and red striped folder that the municipal courthouse had put them in after they had gone through the ceremony and registered it. 

“Are you sure though, that it will work?”

Sergio couldn’t help but to wonder out loud again. Even though nothing had stalled so far, Sergio still was worried that there was a trap that they had overlooked waiting for them. It had gone too easily, too smoothly after the phonecall. He couldn’t let himself believe that he was out of the woods just yet. 

Sergio chewed on his lip as he waited for Iker to speak. He fidgeted a bit in his chair, the weight of Iker’s gaze sitting heavily across his shoulders and making him feel like he had fucked up somehow. He wanted to take the words back and pretend that he hadn’t said them. He was just opening his mouth to say that when Iker cut him off. 

“Sergio...I know it does seem hard to believe, but it  _ will _ work. Just trust me on this. I swear it will be fine. Don’t stress yourself out, it’s not good for the  _ nene. _ ”

Iker’s words felt and tasted true to Sergio, so he simply obeyed and drank down the lukewarm tea. He didn’t voice his worries again, but he suspected that it hadn’t been just warmth that had made him roll into Iker’s warm embrace in the night. He was also sure that Iker had taken pains to make the morning easier for him.

Otherwise, he mused, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to find the only suit that still fit him. Despite worrying, he knew that Iker would have worked some magic, like he had done with Na-the situation. He still felt like crying when he thought about that last conversation. Never in a million years had he thought that would have happened. It made him sad and also a bit embarrassed that he had been so wrong about Na-Torres.  

He was Torres now. There was no way that he’d be Nando to Sergio ever again.He was sentimental, but even he had his limits. He couldn’t afford to be that any longer. Not when this kit he was carrying was depending on him. He was going to be someone’s dam and he had to man up.

And figure out where he and Iker stood once the legalities were ironed out. 

They had talked about it once the bonding bite had been given and they needed to stay together for it to settle and become permanent. That had been the first time that they had shared a bed and Iker had spooned with him. Sergio was still unsure how he felt about that.

Part of him, the Omega part that was needy and vulnerable and starving for the touch of an Alpha had been pleased. He hadn’t realised that he had wanted that closeness until he had it with Iker. The other rational part of him was appalled at how quickly he had latched onto Iker and it had made him promise himself that he wouldn’t be as eager to drape himself all over Iker. 

Yet he had found himself gravitating towards Iker every single time that they went to bed. He had told himself it was because he was breeding. That he needed a protector and someone to watch his back once he started to nest in earnest as the doctor had warned him would happen. 

It was a biological imperative and he shouldn’t really look into it much. 

Yet…

He had found himself noticing more of Iker as the days passed and he had completely moved in once they had gone to the municipal building and gotten the appropriate paperwork filled out. If it wasn’t his kind, gaze, then it was in the way that he was ever so solicitous of him. A hand at the small of his back as they walked into practice. Getting him the best seat whenever they went out to eat. Making sure that he was warm enough. Buying blankets and leaving them in the linen closet.

All of these things that he did had made Sergio  _ really _ notice Iker and his own reaction to them. He was aware of the conclusion that he was coming to, but he was afraid to pursue it any further. At least not until things were sorted. He was done having the ground pulled out from under his feet. 

“How are you holding up?”

Iker murmured, bringing him back to the present time and the grounding weight of Iker’s hand on his knee. Sergio turned his head to look at his partner (He honestly didn’t feel like he should be calling him that just yet) and gave him a twisted grin before replying. 

“Okayish? I’m not sure if I could do it without you here, to tell the truth.”

Sergio admitted as he leaned into Iker, the action being an instinctual one that he felt like he should have fought, yet was reluctant to do so and found it easier to give in. He was scared, more than nervous. This was the ultimate test at the moment and this had been the reason why they had even mated in the first place. 

“It will be fine. Trust me. Everything has been double and triple checked. This is a formality, more or less.”

Iker whispered, turning his head so that he was saying these words directly into Sergio’s ear. Sergio shivered at the closeness, his heart thudding in his chest as he felt Iker come closer. He moved his hand from Sergio’s knee to push some of the stubborn tendrils of hair that had gotten loose from where Sergio had tucked them behind his ear. Sergio’s eyes fluttered a bit as Iker did that.

It wasn’t erotic in the least. If anything, it was a gesture meant to comfort, rather than to entice and Sergio was torn between both of those emotions. It was the first time that Iker had done something like that ever since Sergio had moved in. Sure, he had messed up his hair on the field or given him a small bump when they had walked by each other. 

This though...this was different. 

There was an undercurrent of something there and he knew that Iker felt it the moment that he raised his head and looked into Iker’s eyes, which had gone an old golden colour as he looked back at Sergio. He wondered his own eyes had gone a lighter colour as well as they kept on looking at each other. Their gazes were locked onto each other and Sergio wondered what was going to come next. 

Iker wet his lips and Sergio swallowed hard, trying to stop the low mewl that was building in his throat. He knew he hadn’t quite succeeded when Iker’s eyes went a fraction lighter. Iker moved in even closer, his lips ghosting over Sergio’s when the sound of voices coming down the halls was heard. 

The spell was broken between them. 

In a flash, Iker sat back with his arm wrapped loosely around Sergio’s waist, the model of a caring, yet not overbearing Alpha. Sergio himself was placidly sitting with his hands folded on top of his lap, the perfect picture of an Omega when the board, president and agents all showed up and took their places. Sergio looked up at them through his lashes and noted that despite some pained looks, no one looked suspicious of the situation unfolding at hand. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief that made Iker’s arm tighten around his waist.

“It will be fine,  _ nene _ .”

Iker whispered to him and despite the trepidation that made him hold himself stiffly, he loosened up at the unexpected endearment. 

Iker hadn’t failed him ever since they had met. Sergio doubted that it would start anytime soon. 

“Gentlemen, shall we begin?”

~*~*~*~*~

Sergio ran his hand through his hair and tucked the loose strands behind his ears. His hands had finally stopped shaking and he was glad that Iker had insisted on stopping at the cafe for a meal after the meeting had been concluded. He had been against it at first, wanting only to go home and wonder at the luck that had smiled down upon him and Iker in that boardroom.

“I know it is a shock and you want to go into your nest, but you and the kit need to eat now. Trust me when I tell you you'll thank me later.”

He had wanted to disagree and insist on going home, and doing just what Iker said he'd do. He had recently had been hit with the urge to start gathering soft blankets and throws to make his nest. He had only piled them up in the corner of the spare room and had not yet started a proper nest. Only when he was highly emotional did he start working on it. He had a vague idea of what it was supposed to look like and he wanted to finish it as soon as he was able to work on it. 

It was soothing and he needed that comfort. It would be his refuge when he got closer to giving birth. Yet he couldn't deny that he was reluctant to pull away from Iker and his offer of a different sort of comfort. He didn't particularly want to eat at that moment, but he didn’t have it in him to refuse. Not when Iker was looking at him with such soft gold edged eyes when he had made the suggestion.

He couldn't refuse. Not when he knew that Alphas seldom looked at anyone that they didn't care about with eyes that colour. He hated to recall that Torres hadn’t looked at him with as much tenderness as Iker himself had during the heat induced time that they had shared. He hadn’t wanted to admit it to himself, but now with Iker in his life, he knew the difference. 

And it hurt even more than he was ever prepared for. Or to admit to himself in the early days when he had just been installed into Iker’s life and home. He hadn’t wanted to even voice it to himself. Yet it was all there once he had sat down and contrasted Iker’s behaviour with Torres’ own. 

That was why he had sat down and let Iker order the food and hot chocolate for him. Once the cups of steaming hot chocolate and churros arrived, his stomach suddenly came to life again. He blushed beet red when it growled as he pulled the saucer closer to him. Iker only gave him a small smirk as he watched him and Sergio was hoping that Iker wasn’t one of those “Told you so” types. 

His body was changing and he was still off at reading the signals it sent out. Whereas Iker seemed to get it right more often than not and it made Sergio privately wonder if it was an Alpha trait. Or if Iker himself was unusually perceptive. 

Iker only levelled him a look as he picked up one of his churros and delicately dipped it into his chocolate.

“Sergio...I can guess what you’re thinking and it’s neither. Just a good guess that you’d need food after all that. It wasn’t hard to guess you’d be hungry. You didn’t eat before we left.”

Sergio felt his face grow hot and he looked away from Iker. He chewed on his lip and debated refusing the food, but another growl put a stop to that. 

“Eat Sergio. There’s nothing to worry about now.”

His eyes slid back to Iker, who was looking at him earnestly and Sergio couldn’t help but to recall the kiss they had nearly shared before the meeting started. 

Iker was wrong. 

There was still something to worry about.

Sergio just wished he could pinpoint and figure out exactly  _ what _ it was that he had to worry about.

Was it his heart he had to worry about, or Iker’s own?

~*~*~*~*~

Fernando was stripping out of his sweaty practice jersey when Stevie bumped into him and handed him a paper. 

“What’s this?”

Fernando asked as he took it, not looking down at the headline, but at Stevie, who had a weird expression on his face. His scent, a pleasant floral scent, was a bit strong, making Fernando wonder what had gotten his back up. He was usually on good terms with the easygoing Omega, so he had to wonder what had gotten Stevie so agitated that his scent was on high. 

His skin suddenly went cold as he wondered if Stevie had changed his mind about the mating with him and Xabi. About having their kits. About everything. 

The pulse thrummed in his throat and his mouth went dry. He opened his mouth to speak when Stevie beat him to it. 

“Is this what they’d do to me if I transferred there with you two?”

Fernando blinked and finally looked down at the paper and finally read the headline. 

_ “Real Madrid Keeper Mates Sevillian Omega Wonder. New Contract Announced For Ramos: Who Is the Winner Here?” _

Fernando’s eyes widened at the headline and header. His eyes got even wider as he read the main points of the article. No wonder why Stevie had gotten cagey. Casillas had made out like a bandit in the renegotiated contract for Sergio Ramos, even though the split was thirty in his favour and seventy to the team. He would also receive most of Sergio’s salary for ten years, or until Sergio transferred or retired. 

Or had kits. Who would be under his family name and under contract to Real Madrid once talent was proven. Something that was going to happen soon, according to the article. Sergio was nearly done his second trimester.

Fernando swallowed hard at that. He should have been horrified at the fact that Casillas was benefitting from his, Fernando Torres, own indiscretion. Yet all he could feel was relief and a smothered sense of shame. He was also painfully aware that he was being an utter hypocrite, since he had cruelly rejected Sergio Ramos and forced him in such an unenviable position. 

He had regretted that needless cruelty. Even though it was justified, he wished he hadn’t said all those things to Ramos. He should have found a better way to end it. He couldn’t take anything back. Not without getting himself mired into that again.

There was no way he’d do that. Not when he just had tamped down the scandal of leaving Olalla once he had met Stevie Gerrard. He was done with putting out fires. He just wanted peace and a quiet life with Stevie. Even if it meant he had to share him. 

“It’s not going to happen. There’s another reason for such a lopsided deal.”

Fernando explained as he put the pieces together. Ramos and Casillas had cooked up the plan right after they had talked to him. There was no other reason as to why they had mated and why Casillas stood to pocket so much of the fee of the new contract. It wasn’t just the usual dowry fee that had been handed over.

It was a stud fee. Yet no one would know because the world assumed that it was Iker’s own kit that Ramos was carrying. 

And it wasn’t going to be him that was going to say anything. Not when he needed to be the hero. 

Stevie’s scent calmed a bit at that, but Fernando could see by the sherry colour of Stevie’s eyes that he wasn’t  _ quite _ convinced yet. And he found that it  _ hurt _ . It hurt to see the doubt and suspicion and the skittishness that coloured all of Stevie’s gestures and looks. 

He reached out to Stevie, who hesitated only for a second before going into his embrace and letting Fernando scent him until his scent was down and he was purring softly.

“Don’t worry about that deal. We’d never let  _ anyone _ do that to you. Besides, there’s nothing for us in Spain. We left for a reason. Xabi might have a different one than me, but we both left and we’re here with you now. We’d never ask you to leave. Not unless you wanted to go.”

Stevie took a step back and looked closely at Fernando, searching for something that he seemed to have found, since his eyes went back to their normal soft brown.

Just in time, since Xabi had appeared.

All was well in their universe. 

So far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sergio-He's reeling, more or less. He's been put in a weird position and he doesn't know if he _really_ is starting to develop feelings for Iker, or if it's a biological imperative he's following here.   
>  Bonding bracelet-Omegas get bracelets, instead of rings from the Alphas. It is a love token, but also an identifier telling Alphas or Betas to back off.   
> Paperwork colours-Red for Omega, Green for Alphas. Betas will be explained later on. Marriage certificates are striped combinations of the colours. Secondary same gender marriages are NOT the norm in this world.   
> Fernando/Stevie/Xabi-Not common, but doable if one of the Alphas is more dominant. Take a guess which one is that in this relationship.   
> Fernando-Basing his behaviour on someone IRL. People are really weird sometimes.


	3. Be Close To Me, Be Where I Am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iker comes to some surprising revelations. Iker and David talk and Iker gets some startling news. Nando, Xabi, and Stevie have a long overdue conversation. Iker and Sergio have to deal with a scary and unexpected situation with their kit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in this part, Iker gets a lot of the spotlight as well as Nando and his relationship. I honestly haven't the slightest why it ended up being parallels, in a way, but there it is.   
> Title is from "I'm With You" by the Stills. Proofed, but if mistakes remain they will be fixed later on.

Iker knotted his tie in front of the mirror and examined the results with a critical eye. Once he’s satisfied that he’s got it straight, he slips on his jacket and makes his way over to the guest room. He carefully opened the door and peeked inside to make sure that he wasn’t bothering the occupant. 

His eyes adjusted to the dim light as he stepped inside and walked over to the nest. His movements were slow as to not alarm Sergio in case he was awake. He still had the teethmarks from the last time that he wasn’t careful when he came close to the nest. He had made sure to learn when he had to endure Beckham’s snickers when he told him the story. 

Sergio was lying on his side, facing him. His eyes were half-lidded and he was slowly stroking the roundness of his belly. He was humming something quietly. So quietly that Iker couldn’t quite make out what it was that he was humming to the kit. Iker cleared his throat and knelt down so that they could look into each other’s eyes. 

“Going to the game now?”

Sergio whispered in a slow, sleepy voice. Iker’s heart twinged at the sound of his mate’s voice and at having to leave him. Even though Sergio didn’t hold it against him, being on the roster when he had to be on the sidelines, he couldn’t help but to feel guilty at having to leave Sergio and the kit alone. Even though it wouldn’t be for long, he still felt quite reluctant to leave them.

He had been surprised when he had started to feel protective over the kit. He didn’t care that it wasn’t his blood, it was  _ his _ child. They were his pack now and he would do anything to keep Sergio and the kit safe. 

“Yeah. I am. How are you both?”

Iker whispered, reaching out slowly and stroking Sergio’s long hair away from his face. It was a bit past his shoulders at that time and Iker liked it and hoped that Sergio wouldn’t cut it after the kit was born. He liked the way that Sergio looked with long hair and he had spent many hours combing his fingers through it whenever Sergio had invited him into the nest. Those were the times he liked best, with Sergio curled up tight against him and their combined scents of forest and orange blossom in his nose. 

It was something he hadn’t experienced with Eva or his past girlfriends, that safety and freedom. He loved falling asleep with Sergio beside him, and loved waking up with Sergio beside him, looking beautiful in the pale morning light. It was a feeling he hadn’t known he had been missing in his life. He also was surprised that he had found it with someone like Sergio, who was from such a different world. 

It was quite unexpected, but not unwelcome. He liked Sergio from the first time that he had met him, so he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was. Yet he hadn’t expected for his feelings to go past the line of friendship, something that he wasn’t sure he wanted to pursue. Maybe it was just the closeness of their cohabitation. He didn’t know what was the answer. Only that he was looking at Sergio in a different light now. 

He tamped down his feelings and thoughts again when Sergio gave him an answer in that same sleepy voice. 

“This little one’s been active. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up a forward.”

Iker smiled, despite feeling cold at the innocent comment. It was true Torres was a forward and Sergio himself could fire goals off and would probably continue when he went back onto the field. There was a possibility that the kit could inherit the skills. 

Yet Iker was uneasy at the idea of it happening. Logically, it could happen. Just like the kit could look exactly like the spitting image of his sire. He certainly hoped not. The idea of Torres having any claim on the kit sat heavily upon him. The kit was his and Sergio’s. Not Torres’. No matter what genetic legacy he had given him.

“Or he might be a keeper.” 

Sergio murmured before his eyes slipped shut and he drifted off to sleep. Iker laughed quietly and moved forward to kiss Sergio’s forehead, resisting the urge to press a kiss on Sergio’s lips instead.

“I’ll see you after the game, love.”

He murmured despite knowing that Sergio couldn’t hear him. 

~*~*~*~*~

Iker had just grabbed his gloves from his locker and was walking towards the line to take up his usual spot when he bumped into Beckham. 

“Iker! Been awhile, no?” 

The affable English Omega asked as they shoulder bumped each other as they got into the queue to exit the tunnel. It wasn’t a major game they were playing against Osasuna, so the mood was relaxed. They would have plenty of time to worry after, since they would know who they would draw against in the Champion’s League round of eight. 

Iker rolled his eyes at Beckham’s remark. He liked David, but he did tend to exaggerate just a bit about things. 

“David, it’s only been a few days since we last saw each other. Come on, man.”

Iker chided him, reaching up and messing with David’s hair, making the other man squawk and duck before Iker could do so. He wasn’t fast enough and scowled when Iker cackled at his expression. He would have pouted, but was all too aware of the scene getting back to little Sergio and the last thing he wanted was to cause strife in their mating. 

Lord knew he hated it when people would do the same with him and Victoria. It had been one of the major factors for him accepting the Real Madrid contract and settling down with their kits in Spain. At least they would be spared more of the bullshit that they were fairly sick of dealing with in England.

Iker cackled at David’s put upon look, grinning widely as David fixed his hair and shoved the hair band over it to keep it all in place. 

“Yeah, but it seems like forever now that you got mated and Sergio’s on leave, seems like we don’t see as much of you as we used to.”

David pointed out once he had gotten his hair somewhat decent. 

Iker shrugged, trying to play it off as nothing, but his eyes flashed gold briefly before he spoke. 

“I just don’t like being away from him now that his time is getting closer.”

Iker told him, his eyes darkening as if he was expecting David to challenge him or call him a sap for feeling that way. Except that David didn’t feel that way. He understood what Iker was talking about, since Vic was the same when he was expecting their first. She had been almost overly protective over him at that time, just like Iker was over Sergio. 

Maybe even more than Vic was with David, since Sergio was so much younger and had a rougher time of it, what with the criticism of his mating and breeding while being so young. Sergio had played until he wasn’t physically able to, and Iker had weathered criticism for his decision to let him do so. Iker had only glared at anyone that had dared to say anything to him and now that Sergio was on a leave, no one dared to bring it up to Iker. 

“Yeah, I get it. My Vic was the same when our first was born. When is the kit due?”

Iker looked up as he did some mental maths. 

“Two weeks from today, give or take a few days. The doctor thinks it might be closer, since Sergio’s barely left the nest since he finished it.He’s been sleeping a whole lot.”

Iker replied, making David nod. Sergio was probably closer, if he wasn’t leaving his nest and sleeping a whole lot. He remembered that hadn’t been his fondest memories of breeding. He knew that it was natural to gather up strength for what would happen next. He still didn’t like it and he was sure that Sergio probably felt the same way. 

“Enjoy it while you can. Both of you. It’s exhausting afterwards. But Sese’s young. He’ll bounce back in no time. I’m sure he’ll be back in time for the Champion’s League if he wants it.”

Iker’s head snapped up at the casual comment. 

“Liverpool’s still in it, aren’t they?”

Iker asked, making David frown at the sudden vehemence in his voice. 

“Yeah, I think so? Not sure, since they’ve been struggling now that they found Gerrard will be breeding.”

Iker’s eyes widened at that. 

“Damn! What really? Well Xabi didn’t wait long to mate him. Maybe everyone will get off my back now.”

David grinned at that remark. “For sure they will, since the news got out a few months after they took in another Alpha. Fernando Torres. You played in the national team with him, yeah?”

David wanted to take a step back at the sudden murderous expression that crossed Iker’s face at the mention of Gerrard’s mating situation and condition. Although he was mated, he still had no actual defence when faced with an extremely angry Alpha and found himself shrinking back and baring his neck to Iker.

“Did I say something wrong? If I did, then I didn’t mean-”

Iker mentally slapped himself for making David feel like he had to appease him. He should have known that news from England would filter down. It was a small world in European football. Especially at the top leagues and it was only rational that David would assume that they spoke. He would have assumed the same of David in regards to Gerrard, Lampard, or the Neville brothers or Ryan Giggs. They had played together at some point, it was only rational. 

Iker shook his head and clapped his hand on David’s shoulder, squeezing it slightly to let him know that there was no ill will or bad blood between them. The last thing that he wanted was to have a skittish player out there and cost them an easy game. He wouldn’t hear the end of it, that was for sure. He also felt bad for making David feel as if he had to placate him when it wasn’t anything that he had done to cause the issues.

“It’s nothing you said, David. Or anything you could have or should have known. It’s old blood. Just don’t worry about it, okay? It’s all good.”

He said the last in a soft voice that he only used for Sergio whenever he was upset or needed to be reassured. Just as he had hoped, David straightened up and his scent of sweet lilacs dissipating as Iker calmed him down. It wasn’t often that he had to do that and Iker felt bad about doing so. Despite his confident demeanour, David was still an Omega and Iker tended to forget that at times. 

David chewed on his lip and nodded a few times as if he needed to let the words sink in before Iker pulled his hand away. Just in time, since their captain started yelling at them to get in line and get ready to walk out. 

“You good, then?”

David nodded, his eyes the clear hazel green that they always were without a hint of amber around them, making iker breathe a sigh of relief. He’d be fine out there and that was all that Iker cared about at that moment. They had a game to win. Everything else was unimportant at that time.

He’d focus on the game and then figure out what to tell Sergio later.

~*~*~*~*~

Xabi’s jaw was clenched tightly as he stood in front of Fernando, who was glaring back at him defiantly, despite the bloody nose and already puffy eye that promised to be an epic shiner later on. Xabi hadn’t escaped unscathed, since he had blood trickling from his mouth and a gash across his cheek from catching Nando’s claws before Stevie separated them and they had come back to their senses. 

“I should kick you out and dissolve the bond right now, you know. Save Stevie the pain from what you’re going to do.”

Xabi spat out in the silence, while Stevie stood a bit away from them, watching both of the Alphas with a wary expression on his face. 

Nando blanched at the threat, but didn’t back down. Even though Xabi was the first Alpha in the mating, Nando was still an Alpha and wouldn’t back down so easily. Even though he knew that Xabi could do it, he wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Especially not when it meant losing the steadiness of having Xabi as an anchor and Stevie’s love and a future as well. 

“He won’t leave us, Xabee.He already would have done it if he wasn’t done running away from responsibility.”

Steve countered, his voice neutral as he stated the facts. Xabi scowled. 

“He left Ramos high and dry as well as Olalla. What makes you and us the exception?”

He all but snarled, his eyes going gold at the edges as he addressed Nando, but kept his gaze focused on Stevie. 

“I wasn’t in love with either of them. I mean, come on, Alonso. You mean to tell me you were in love every single time you shacked up with someone? Or you, Stevie? All of those faceless Alphas and Betas and Omegas you both have been with...You’re lying if you say you were.”

Xabi had the grace to look away and Stevie to blush. It was true. They couldn’t deny that they had climbed into beds just for the kicks. 

Nando sighed and rubbed his face, wincing at the swollen skin around his eye and thumbing at his bloody nose. 

“Look...I knew Olalla since I was a kit, alright and we just clicked and it was easy. She was always there, she’s cute and it just made sense to ask her to marry me. She made me happy and I didn’t think twice about being with anyone else. Until I met Sergio Ramos.”

He paused as he tried to call forth the circumstances. It had been a pretty blurry night and they did have a lot to drink.

“He was on the edge of a heat and it just hit me. I wanted to have him any way that I could. He smelled  _ good _ , like candied oranges or something and he wanted me. I hadn’t ever felt anything like that with Olalla before. I just knew that when he asked me to come to his room with him, I couldn’t say no.”

Xabi barked out a rueful laugh at that. He had known that Torres had been sheltered and terribly naive. He just hadn’t realised exactly  _ how _ sheltered he really was. No wonder why he had asked the first girl he had liked to marry him and bedded the first Omega that he had ever encountered at close quarters. Nando wasn’t an evil mastermind. He was just kind of...dense. And stupidly clumsy when it came to dealing with the messes he got himself into. 

No wonder why he hadn’t flinched at the agreement that Xabi and Stevie had laid out to him when it came to the mating. Of course he needed a head Alpha.

He looked at Stevie, who nodded slightly at having come to the same realisation at the same time. His anger cooled somewhat and he could see that Stevie was only  _ just _ keeping himself from rolling his eyes at Xabi. He would have to swallow his pride later on and apologise to his Omega. He had been right after all. Xabi had just been too angry with Nando to see it at the time. 

“Neither of us spoke about seeing each other again. We just said goodbye and that was it. Traded information cause we were probably going to end up on the national team. That was it. I went home to Olalla and then when I transferred he called me and told me he was breeding.”

Nando bit his bottom lip as he recalled his own reaction. He wasn’t proud of it and he really didn’t want to tell Xabi and Stevie what he had done. He had to come clean though. The fistfight that had broken out one Xabi had heard only half of the conversation while Nando was speaking to Stevie had shown him exactly that. 

“I was very cruel to him and told him to expect nothing from me. That it wasn’t my problem.I didn’t want to be trapped like my other friends, stuck in loveless matings because they had fucked up. I had finally gotten out. There was no fucking way I was going to go back there and be trapped with a kid I barely knew from Adam.”

Xabi sighed and shook his head. “I’m not going to apologise for smacking you. You really did deserve it. Especially after saying that to Ramos. Shit, Nando, that was cold.”

Nando winced. “I know. I really do. I was stupid and I know that I gotta apologize to him for everything that I said. And didn’t do. Casillas took over. I was all set to marry Olalla. And then…”

“Then you met me.”

Stevie finished as he recalled how Nando had seemed utterly struck dumb when they had first shaken hands. Xabi hadn’t liked it and had growled at Nando to back off. There hadn’t been a claim there persay, but there was an understanding of sorts.Stevie was sure that if it hadn’t been for Nando’s awkwardness in the weeks following his arrival that the claim would have just stayed a claim and not gone further. 

Stevie looked at Xabi now and raised an eyebrow at his first Alpha. 

“He wasn’t coming after me at all, if you recall Xabi. He avoided me at first and you do recall making fun of his stupid lovesick puppy face, don’t you?”

Xabi had the grace to blush and Nando look utterly mortified at the revelation. 

He honestly had thought he had been much more subtle than that as he had struggled with his unwanted feelings. He had, after all, thrown Sergio’s feelings back into his face in order to keep on with his original plans of marrying Olalla and settling into a dull, but safe routine. Yet the longer he was around Stevie, the more he realised that he had fallen for the Omega. He couldn’t ever pinpoint when it had happened. Only that one day, during a skirmish when Stevie had gotten knocked down, he had been there before anyone else and had  _ snarled _ at the Chelsea player. 

Once the player had backed off, he had reached for Stevie and helped him up. Once their hands had met, Nando just knew. He had looked into Stevie’s soft doe brown eyes and had just  _ known _ why he hadn’t settled with Ramos. Why things weren’t going the same with Olalla. 

Stevie knew it too, since his eyes had widened and gone amber for a moment. It was evident in his face that he had felt the spark of whatever it was and that he and Nando were connected in more ways than one. The whistle had blown and they had to separate, but they both knew things had changed. 

And Nando had refused to see it or admit it. He was going to marry Olalla. She was all he wanted. He had avoided Stevie after that and had tried his best to keep his relationship with Olalla going until he finally snapped and bolted out of an interminable planning meeting and gone rushing to Stevie’s place. 

He didn’t even know if Stevie would be at home and had taken it as a sign when Stevie had opened the door with his brow furrowed in that cute gormless look he got when he was trying to figure out what to do next. 

“I don’t know what the fuck it is, but I want to be with you. I want to make you my mate. I want to give you kits. I don’t care what the hell it is that I have to do to be with you. I’ll do it. Just say yes and I will.”

He had delivered that monologue to a shell-shocked Stevie, who to his credit, remained silent until he was out of breath and done.

“Even sharing me with another Alpha? Would you be able to do even that?”

Stevie has asked as Xabi had stepped into the doorway, clearly ready to fight whoever it was that had interrupted him and his Omega. 

Nando had taken a look at Xabi, appraising the other Alpha for several long minutes and gave a terse nod in the affirmative.

“Then yes. Now come in before the neighbours think you’re some gormless twat and call the cops.”

Xabi sighed. In the past three months, Nando hadn’t given him cause to suspect that his emotions would change. Their scents had mingled well and Nando had been an even fiercer protector of Stevie than he was. The way that he looked at Stevie and looked at him couldn’t be faked. Nor could it just be biology. That only went so far. No. Nando meant it. 

Yet…

“What about the kit? Will you have anything to do with it? Will you claim it?”

Nando shook his head. 

“It’s not mine. Casillas made it all too clear that he was claiming it as his own and if I came back, he’d tear me to shreds. He’s not ever going to forget what I did to his Sergio.”

Stevie looked up. “They’re mated?”

Nando nodded. “Right after Sergio found out he was breeding, I guess.”

Stevie frowned, turning to look at Xabi. 

“Does he love him, you think?”

Nando thought back at the last time that they had been on a pitch together. It had been just three weeks ago, right after Sergio’s kit had been born. Sergio had been there, even though he was sidelined until he had weaned the kit. No one had complained though, when they had seen Iker’s face light up when Sergio had passed him the kit. 

He had stayed clear from them, since he could see the slight glimmer of pain when he had accidentally caught Sergio’s eye. Iker hadn’t deigned to even look in his direction, still utterly furious over his brutal harshness in dealing with Sergio. But Xabi had been close to see the kit and to report back it looked like a mini Sergio with Iker’s big dark eyes. 

Nando had seen Iker and Sergio when they had left the pitch. Iker to escort his mate and Sergio to take the little one home after presenting him to others. He had seen the looks they had exchanged with each other. How Sergio had looked at Iker as if he was the sun and how Iker’s face softened and made him look like a besotted boy when he had looked at Sergio. 

He knew that look. He had seen it on Xabi’s face when he had looked at Stevie before he had finally admitted his feelings. He knew he had looked at Stevie like that since that time on the pitch. Maybe someday, he and Xabi might look at each other like that, rather than the exasperated fondness they employed when they looked at each other. Alphas of course, taking awhile to warm up to each other. 

“He does. He loves him and the kit more than he could ever say.”

Stevie looked at Xabi for confirmation, who nodded. 

“We’re still angry at you for being an idiot. But smacking you around won’t solve a thing. I will warn you though. If you ever cut and run on us, we will find you. And we will kill you. And Stevie will hide the body. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Iker, Iker, Wake up! Iker!”

Iker shot out of bed at Sergio’s frantic cries over the weak wails of Gaizka Manuel. 

“What’s up? What’s wrong?”

He rasped out as he went to Sergio, who thrust their kit into his arms, making him hiss at how hot little Gaizka was. Iker rocked him up and down in an effort to calm his fretful crying, but Gaizka was still fussy and uncomfortable and kept on crying. Iker chewed on his lip, knowing that this was more than just a fussy kit.

He looked up from the kit and saw that Sergio was dressed with his car keys in hand. 

“Get dressed. We need to take Gaizka to the hospital. He’s been sick for a few days, but it’s gotten worse.”

Sergio explained, his voice wavering only a bit as he spoke. Iker handed Gaizka back to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. 

“It’s going to be okay, Sese. I’ll get dressed and we’ll go. Gaizka’s going to be okay.”

Iker comforted him, giving his shoulders a light squeeze before he pulled on some jeans and a pull over. FInally, after grabbing his wallet, mobile and keys, he shoved them in his pockets and nodded to Sergio. 

“Okay, let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iker-He's a bit confused and really won't say anything until he is sure of Sergio's feelings towards him. He does realise that he's fallen and is more or less okay with it. I always joke that part of his appeal is the fact that he looks like a suburban dad, so maybe that's it.   
> David-He pops up a lot as either the 5th business, or the friend that pokes about in places he shouldn't. I might eventually write something with him alone. He's somehow become one of my favourite supporting characters.  
> Nando, Stevie, and Xabi-It wasn't supposed to go into so much depth as to how they got together and where they stand, but I was curious as to what the story was behind that. And this scene happened. Nando's...An idiot. He's not a malevolent mastermind. He's just an utter git. His saving grace is that he does have Xabi and Stevie to keep him in line and he realises that he's fucked up and will try to make amends with someone he really loves and respects.  
> Gaizka Manuel-His name will be explained in the next two chapters. Give or take.


	4. If You Believe In Me, Then I Believe In You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iker and Sergio face a difficult time dealing with a family emergency. During this time, Iker runs the gamut of emotions in regards to Sergio and their kit. Sergio drops and the aftermath of the drop changes everything between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I did leave it on a bit of a cliffhanger and this one ties up so many things between Sergio and Iker. There will probably be one more chapter in this story to tie up the loose ends of Sergio and Nando and what will come after for him and Iker.   
> Proofed and title is from "I'm With You" by The Stills.

They had been in the hospital for six hours at least, waiting for the doctors to tell them what was wrong with Gaizka, who had cried himself out and had simply been mewling weakly in Sergio’s arms when they had entered the neonatal unit. Sergio had been left bereft and chirruping his distress, leaving Iker to take him to the cafeteria downstairs and get something hot to drink and calm him down. It had been piss poor coffee, but it had fortified him enough to not simply passively let Iker walk him places. 

“He’s going to be okay, yeah? Even though he had a fever for the past couple of days, he will be fine, right?” 

Sergio had asked him as they had sat side by side in the quiet room that had been reserved for them after they had returned from the cafeteria to wait for the news of their child. Iker had blinked as he quickly formulated a reply. He had been wool gathering and hadn’t registered Sergio’s softly voiced question for a few moments. 

He was sure that it wasn’t meningitis. Gaizka hadn’t had a stiff neck and although he was weak, he had no problems moving. He did keep reaching up to touch his ear and it made Iker’s heart hurt at seeing his kit sick and being unable to do much but hold comfort Sergio as they handed him over to the doctors and nurses to heal him. Seeing Gaizka’s actions made the hurt ease a tiny bit since it meant that whatever Gaizka had it was fixable. He was very sick, yes, but it was something that could be healed now that he was in the hospital.

He wet his lips and looked at Sergio’s haunted and hollowed out face. It was only a few months since he had given birth and was still carrying a bit of baby fat in his face. But it seemed like the stress of Gaizka’s illness had stripped it off his bones, leaving him looking far too adult. His chin and cheekbones were sharp and the stubble on his face completed the picture. It made Iker wince and it also made him want to say something, anything, to make Sergio not look so adult before he really needed to. 

Having a kit had matured him quickly, but hadn’t made him look as worn as he did at that moment. Iker couldn’t imagine what it would do his  _ nene _ if Gaizka got worse. Even though he was fairly sure that things would work out, there was a small possibility that Gaizka wouldn’t improve and...No. He refused to go there. His kit would be fine and they would take him home and be family again.

Gaizka, for all intents and purposes, was  _ his _ kit. Iker had seen him born, had held him after Sergio had checked him and made sure he was healthy and well. Iker’s heart had been stolen the moment that Gaizka had looked at him with those big coffee brown eyes. He had known then, that he’d do anything to keep him safe from harm. 

“He’s perfect, isn’t he?”

Sergio had whispered, making Iker look up to reply and finding that his words had left him when he had seen Sergio smiling softly at him. Despite his hair being plastered with sweat against his cheeks and neck, his half-lidded eyes and greasy face, he was the most beautiful thing that Iker had ever seen.

It was then that he felt it all slide into place. 

He loved Sergio. 

Iker had swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, making Sergio’s face lit up with happiness.

That expression had been the solidifier for Iker. He was in love.

And it was that love that made him pull Sergio close and kiss his cheekbone before he finally answered Sergio’s query with the words he had been waiting to hear. 

“I don’t want to promise you that he will when I don’t know myself. But I want to believe that the doctors are doing all that they can to help Gaizka get better.”

Iker replied and Sergio’s face had darkened for a moment. It made Iker wonder if he was going to get yelled at for such a neutral and diplomatic answer when Sergio took a deep breath, exhaled and nodded. 

“It’s not what I wanted to hear, but you are right. Even though it’s hard.”

His face crumpled and Iker pulled him into his arms, holding him tightly as Sergio fisted his hands into his shirt and cried quietly, his shoulders shaking as he did so. 

“He’s so little! We can’t lose him!”

Sergio mumbled, lifting his tear-stained face to look at his mate. 

Iker crooned softly to him, wiping his face with a crumpled tissue he had found in his pocket. He kept it up, scenting Sergio until his Omega had relaxed against him. 

“We won’t lose, him, Sese. It won’t get that bad. Please don’t think that.”

Iker stated quietly to Sergio, willing his Omega to believe him.

“Don’t give up now. It’s not set in stone.  _ Animo, Nene.” _

He whispered, wiping away more of the tears and throwing the tissue in the rubbish bin near them. He rubbed Sergio’s back to calm him until his mate was able to stand without help. But Iker didn’t completely let him go and held his hand tightly after they had disentangled themselves.

Iker held Sergio’s hand gripped tightly in his, his expression pained as he looked at his mate while the doctor explained what was wrong with Gaizka. Sergio’s usually golden caramel skin was ashen white, making him look exhausted. Even more so than he had ever looked and that counted the ten hours of labour to bring forth their kit. The hollows under his eyes didn’t help any and Iker was sure that if he wasn’t there to hold up Sergio, he would have collapsed.

“We ran tests, because we were concerned it was meningitis. But the tests came clear and it turns out he’s got an ear infection, that’s the reason for the high and persistent fever. That is also the reason one of his eardrums ruptured.”

Sergio made a soft noise at that and the doctor looked at them sympathetically.

“It can be healed now that we know what is wrong. We’re giving him antibiotics to clear it up. His fever is going down now. It’s bad, but now that he’s here, it’ll be taken care of. He’s in good hands. You did well to bring him in when you did.”

Sergio sagged with relief as did Iker, who gave quiet thanks that it wasn’t anything worse. 

“How long would he have to stay? Will there be any adverse effects once his eardrum heals?”

Iker asked, taking charge of the situation. He recognised that Sergio was on his way to a drop after the stress and news had pushed him to the brink. They would need to find a drop room once he would be done consulting the doctor. 

“A few days, to make sure that the infection has passed it’s course. As for the eardrum, there shouldn’t be any problems once it heals. It should be in about three months when that happens. If he doesn’t have any hearing then, bring him back so we can run tests.”

Iker nodded and shifted Sergio, who was now leaning most of his weight on him. He made a quiet mewling noise that made Iker grab him by the waist and pull him even closer. 

“Oh...I see. I didn’t realise. There’s a room down the hall you can use. Number 124. Take as long as you need. They lock from the inside. I’m terribly sorry. I should have contacted you earlier.”

The doctor apologised, colour high in his cheeks as he understood what was going on. 

“Thank you. Could we visit Gaizka after?”

Iker queried as he moved towards the room that the doctor had pointed out. 

“You can see him once your Omega has been taken care of. He’s sleeping at the moment and is being monitored so you don’t have to worry about him. Besides, your Omega is on the verge of a drop and will need aftercare.”

Iker nodded, his words gone as his main concern was taking care of his mate and making sure that he didn’t go too far into the drop with all the stress. He didn’t bother with the extra effort of trying to make Sergio walk. He simply picked him up bridal style and carried him to the room. He bolted the door behind him and turned on the lights, dimming them to an acceptable level before placing Sergio gently amongst the nest of neutrally scented pillows and blankets. 

It wasn’t quite as welcoming as a home nest, but it was good enough for Sergio to have curled up in the pillows and pulled up several blankets over him. His eyes were only just open and the movements sluggish and sloppy. He was falling. A few more minutes and he’d be in subdrop and Iker couldn’t let him stay there for too long.

Not when their kit was still too ill to not have his dam around. Sergio had only dropped in front of him once, when the news had filtered from across the channel of Torres and his new family. It had been so sudden. One moment Sergio had been talking to him and the next he was out. Iker had caught him before he had hit the ground and he hadn’t wasted anytime in getting Sergio into the nest and scenting him properly, cuddling him and speaking quietly to guide him back until he had emerged from the drop. 

They had shared a look right after Sergio had resurfaced that Iker couldn’t figure out before Sergio had murmured his thanks and gone to sleep. There had been a world of meaning in that look and a tension that he swore verged on the erotic.They hadn’t spoken about it, but Iker knew that the incident had been far from forgotten by Sergio. He hadn’t brought it up since it had happened and Iker himself hadn’t pursued it either. 

“How long did it take for him to come out of the drop?”

David had asked him as they had gone out for a pint to talk about the drop, David being the only person he could trust with the knowledge. Not only was David his friend, he was also the one with the most experience, since most of the Alphas had Beta partners and Owen was still unmated. And even if Owen was mated, Iker didn’t feel comfortable talking to him due to his age. Or the fact that they were casual acquaintances at best.

Iker shrugged as he tried to pinpoint an exact time. “Maybe half an hour? Twenty-five minutes? It was a short time, that I remember, since we had an appointment right after and we made it in time.”

David nodded to himself and took a swallow of his pint, savouring the taste of it, since he didn’t get to go out as often as he did before the kits had arrived. He swallowed it down and smiled at Iker, who looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

“Did he come out of it easily?”

He inquired as he recalled the few times he had gone into a drop with Vic.

“Yeah. I read up on it, but it wasn’t really clear on what that means. I got a lot of conflicting reports, so that’s why I’m asking you.”

Iker explained. David hummed. 

“I don’t know what’s out there, but the one thing I can tell you is that an Omega doesn’t drop around an Alpha unless they trust that Alpha with their lives. A drop is a scary thing to be in. Omegas get messed up if they get forced into a drop or can’t find their way out fast. If Sergio dropped and pulled out that fast, it means he trusts you and he loves you.”

David gave him a sidelong glance before bumping his shoulder.

“But you knew that already. The love part, I mean.”

Iker blinked. Had he? He had seen glimmers of something. The looks that Sergio gave him whenever he passed by. Or whenever he woke up and got up up from the bed and caught Sergio watching him with dark eyes and an undecipherable expression on his face. The lingering touches and the scent of Sergio in his skin. The way that Sergio’s face softened whenever he guided Iker’s hand to his bump. Was that all love?

David soft laughter broke apart his ruminations. 

“You are adorably clueless sometimes, Iker. Trust me. Omegas don’t just drop with anyone.  Sergio loves you, Iker. Don’t doubt that.”

Iker didn’t. He couldn’t. Not when he saw Sergio kneading the blanket as his mind entered that neutral space that would give him time to regroup and be able to face the real world again. 

Keeping that in mind, Iker hummed quietly under his breath as he pulled off his shirt and wrapped it around Sergio, surrounding him with their combined scent before he curled up around Sergio. He spooned his mate, scenting him heavily before he kissed the back of his head and settled in. He kept up the humming, running his fingers through Sergio’s hair until he heard Sergio’s sharp intake of breath.

“Shit...Did I drop?”

He mumbled, turning around to face Iker. 

“How could you not?”

Sergio muttered some kind of agreement before his head shot up. He moved to get out of their temporary nest and was stopped by Iker’s arm tightening around his waist.

“He’s good. I spoke to the doctor. You, on the other hand, just came out of a drop. You need to rest.”

Iker chided him, pulling him close. 

Too close, he realised a fraction of a section later when he found himself looking into Sergio’s melted chocolate eyes and that same odd expression on his mate’s face. 

He cleared his throat and was just about to shuffled away when Sergio reached up and cradled his face with his hands. 

Iker’s breath quickened, both at the softness in Sergio’s eyes and at the touch. Yeah, they had touched each other in the eight months since they had mated. They kissed and embraced on the field before and after games. He had kissed Sergio’s forehead and touched his bump before Gaizka had been born. They had lain together in the nest when Sergio had nursed the kit, his hand resting loosely on Sergio’s hip as he drowsily watched them until he had fallen asleep.

But there had never been anything near intimate or erotic. Not since that time before the meeting to renegotiate Sergio’s standing and contract with the team. That had been the first and only time. 

Until now. 

Iker knew that maybe he should put a stop to it. Push Sergio away and chalk it up to the stress of their kit being ill and the lingering effects of the drop. He had been aware that there was a possibility of a mating happening after a particularly arduous drop. Yet he remained still and waited until Sergio closed the distance between them and kissed him.

It wasn’t the most elegant kiss he’d ever experienced, but it was the one with the most honest passion behind it. Sergio deepened the kiss and Iker found himself moaning at the feel of it, at the feel of Sergio’s hand on his jaw. He moaned and let Sergio pull him closer, the kiss winding down when Sergio had ended up in his lap and Iker realised that he had responded a bit too well to Sergio’s advances. 

“I’m so-”

Sergio didn’t let him finish and kissed him again. A short kiss this time as he reluctantly pulled away. 

“No. Don’t be. I’m certainly not.”

He swallowed hard and gave Iker a sharp, scrutinizing look with amber light eyes. 

“I...I’m only sorry that I shared a meaningless heat with someone that I didn’t love like I love you.”

Iker’s mouth fell open at that. He had known, after the talk with David that there was love between them. But it was one thing knowing and one thing finally having it confirmed.

Sergio blushed then as he moved in close and kissed Iker. This time slow and with an edge of seduction. His eyes were amber as they slid shut and his hands were everywhere. He should have put a stop to it. 

A perfect man would have. 

Yet Iker had never claimed to be perfect.

Instead, he pulled off Sergio’s clothes and threw them to the side and let his hands learn the full cartography of his Sese’s body. The kiss lengthened into a languorous slowness as they touched each other, caressing each other to the edge of lust. An edge that Sergio reached when he broke the kissing off to straddle Iker’s hips. 

Iker didn’t mind, his pulse fluttering at his throat as he put his hands on Sergio’s hips and helped him to position himself. He groaned, a low guttural sound as Sergio moved and he was inside Sese. His eyes widened and he gasped when Sergio moved, his hips jerking and stuttering as he slid up and down Iker’s cock. 

Iker’s grip on Sergio’s hips tightened reflexively as Sergio put his hands on his chest to get leverage as he continued to move in starts and bursts until he was able to find a steady pace that worked for both of them. He kept on moving, his hips rocking back and forth as Iker groaned at how good it felt to have Sergio ride him. It had been far too long since he had had this with anyone, never mind someone he loved. 

It was better than he had ever dared to imagine, the wet velvet warmth around his cock, the way that Sergio’s hands against his chest felt as they moved up and gripped his shoulders. The way that Sergio leaned down to kiss him and create a curtain with his hair, hiding them from the world as the white hot pleasure built up between them. It was close, that heat. It was like a coiled snake in the pit of his belly, unspooling at the soft sounds that Sergio made with each undulation of his hips. He was so close...So fucking...So fucking…

It exploded like a supernova behind his eyes, blinding him for several moments before he registered Sergio’s hips moving faster and faster and heard his muted cry of pleasure, his claws digging into chest before he collapsed on top of Iker. 

Once Sergio had caught his breath, Iker moved them to a more comfortable position, where they lay intertwined with each other until exhaustion finally overtook them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaizka's health issues-He's still very young, so Sergio did the right thing in bringing him to the hospital. He's also a new and young parent, so if it seems like he's overreacting, then chalk it up to that. Fevers are always serious and meningitis, which is Iker's fear is a serious thing. So basically, they're playing it safe.   
> Drops-Omegas basically shut down when faced with far too much stress and need an Alpha to come out of the subdrop, which is like a coma like state. Omegas need aftercare, which occasionally may lead to sex between the Omega and the Alpha. That was the reason why the doctor was basically shoving them into a room together, because it could be necessary for them to have some privacy to have that.   
> It is accepted and they weren't being careless. It's kind of like when people have sex after funerals. It's an outlet for the adrenaline and also to cope with the situation.


	5. I'm Frightened, But I'm Coming. Please, Baby, Please Lay Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> International Duty for the Euros comes calling and Nando knows what he has to do. Sergio comes to an epiphany right before the tournament that leaves them with even more to look forward to in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a Closure/Coda chapter where there are talks and decisions and being adults. Things get cleared up and doors to the past are shut and doors to the future are opened.  
> Edited, but if mistakes occur, they will be fixed. Title is from The Tea Party song "The Messenger."

Iker was all too aware of Sergio’s distress by how Sergio quietly chirped before disguising it as a cough and his scent going from fresh forest and ripe oranges to brackish woods and sour oranges. He turned around after grabbing his underarmour and practice jersey with the Spanish crest on the left side and saw the reason for his mate’s sudden change in mood.

Torres and Xabi, along with David Villa and little Cesc Fabregas, all of the English League players had arrived. As far as he knew, Sergio had no problem with Villa, who always seemed like he was on the verge of going into a rage, and no one seemed to have a problem with Cesc, who wasn’t always the brightest bulb in the bunch. Or Xabi, who was a true neutral when it came to so many things.

No. It was still Torres that was the problem and would always be that until Sergio dealt with the situation on his own terms. Iker knew this and even though it made him want to throw Torres through a wall, it wasn’t his battle to fight. As much as he wanted to put Torres in his place, it wasn’t up to him to do so. Even though Gaizka was his kit in all but blood, it was not up to him to make things right.

Only Sergio got the last word in what was to be done and when it was done. As far as he knew, Sergio has destroyed any trace of Torres’ contact information after the night he had tried to tell him about Gaizka. He hadn’t made the effort to talk to him or see him. He had been on leave the last time they had international call ups and had only been at the practice briefly to introduce the kit to everyone, a tense situation, since they weren’t sure if Gaizka had inherited any of his sire’s features.

Iker thought that the kit looked like a spitting image of Sergio, minus the eyes. They were too dark to be Sese’s and looked almost like Iker’s mother’s, if he was honest. He knew that the shape was slightly different, but they were similar to Torres’ eyes. Luckily no one had seen the semblance and the status quo had held. Gaizka was his kit and that was all that there was to it.

Torres, to his credit, didn’t even try and go near them. His locker, either by design or a trick of fate, was the farthest away. All he did was give a general greeting to everyone in the room and make a beeline to his locker. Which was right next to Xabi Alonso’s, despite his international number being the one before Sergio’s. Iker wouldn’t have minded. He had no problems with Alonso, even though he was positive that he knew about the kit. Iker wouldn’t blame him for Torres’ actions. Yes, he was in a relationship with Torres, but until Alonso sat him down and told him the inner workings of his life, Iker wasn’t going to hate Alonso for no reason.

They had always worked well together and even if they weren’t close, there was a mutual respect there. Iker valued that respect and even though they may not ever be close friends, they could be in the same room without strangling each other on behalf of their respective mates and partners.

Xabi gave him a nod as he walked over to his own locker and started to get ready, not paying attention to anything else in the room. Iker smirked and turned to Sergio, whose scent had pulled back a bit and was no longer as pungent as it had been the moment that Torres came in. He put his hand on Sergio’s shoulder, relieved that his scent went back to normal with just a simple touch. No one else had caught the shift in scent and he was relieved that it was still just between them and Torres. The last thing that they needed was for the team to be fractured along factions. Especially when it was something as serious as abandonment of an Omega.

Torres would get crucified if it ever got out. No one would trust him to play and he had heard rumours that the government could possibly force deserters to pay a dowry and mate the deserted Omega if the matter was pressed and DNA tests proved conclusive.That would force Torres to mate Sergio or risk heavy fines and even expulsion from football. They were rumours, but Iker wasn’t about to test if they were real or not. He wasn’t that much of a petty asshole.

And he was pretty sure that was the last thing that Sergio himself wanted. Or Xabi and Steven Gerrard. There was no point in ripping that nearly healed wound open again for no real reason at all.

“You’re going to be fine playing with him?”

Iker whispered, his voice so low that Sergio just barely heard it.

“Yeah. I think so. It was just a surprise to see them, that’s all.”

Sergio replied as he pulled his own practice jersey over his underarmour as well. He pulled on a light jacket and tied up his really long hair in a low tail, since he hadn't been bothering to cut it after Gaizka was weaned. Iker watched him carefully. When he didn’t see anything that raised any alarms in him, he too got dressed quickly.

“Shall we?”

Sergio chewed on his lip a bit right before he followed Iker out. No point in hanging around now. Things were so different now.

Not to mention that Jesus wasn’t around yet, so there wasn’t any reason to hang out if Iker was already.

~*~*~*~*~

“You’re lucky Iker’s calmed the fuck down, you know.”

Xabi muttered to Nando once they had finished stretching and were getting ready to do laps.

“How so?”

Xabi tilted his head to where Iker was practicing saves, making Nando take note of the explosive strength that Iker utilised whenever he made a save and whenever he hurled back that football and got ready to do the same thing over again.

It was mesmerising and it made Nando have a new appreciation of how strong Iker really was.

And exactly in how many different ways it could be used.

He cast a sidelong glance at Xabi, wondering if it was a warning or just Xabi being the deadpan troll he could at times.

“Are you warning me? Or are you just fucking with me?”

Xabi raised an eyebrow before he smirked at Nando.

“Both?”

Nando made a small noise of disgust at that and moved to turn, but was stopped by Xabi’s hand on his shoulder.

“Look, maybe I am fucking with you. A bit. But I am also concerned. I know you want to make things right with Sergio, as you should. But be extremely cautious of how you do it. Iker has every right to break your face open. And since this happened before we got together, I can’t step in. So be careful. Stevie would skin me alive if I didn’t bring one of the sires of his kits home.”

Nando looked down at the grass as he mulled Xabi’s words over. Xabi was right, he couldn’t deny that. If Iker took offense, he had every right to voice a challenge on behalf of Sergio. Hell, if someone ever looked at Stevie crosseyed he’d do it. He had no objections at that. He understood completely why that would happen.

What he didn’t want was to aggravate the situation in order to make that a possibility.

He was sorry for how he had treated Sergio. Deeply sorry he had panicked and lashed out against an innocent bystander instead of actually being a compassionate human being and talked to Sergio about what could have been done. He had regretted his actions ever since, but had been both caught up in the lies he had wanted to make his life and then untangling what he really wanted for himself once he had fallen for Stevie and had been let into what he and Xabi themselves had.

He understood now, watching the dynamics between them and how he dealt with Stevie, how to better approach Sergio and finally close that door and move on with their lives. There shouldn’t be any reason for them to have that one liaison define them for the rest of their lives and in order to do that, he was going to have to finally man up and get it over and done with.

Keeping that in mind, he moved when Del Bosque blew the whistle. That would be for later. Right now, he had a spot on the string to earn and keep.

~*~*~*~*~

Sergio had just spread his napkin over his lap when he noticed a shadow looming over the table he had chosen to sit at. He looked up, a smile ready on his face, since he expected it to be Iker.

Only to find that it was a nervous looking Torres clutching his tray in a deathgrip tight enough to make his knuckles go white.

Sergio’s breath stopped and his face went cold, then hot while his ears were filled with a high whistling sound at the sight of the one Alpha he thought he’d never speak to ever again. He swallowed down the chirp of distress and forced himself to remain calm and neutral. Even though his heart was thumping in his chest and every single fibre of his being was telling him to flee as fast as he could, he remained sitting.

“Ca-Could-Could I sit with you for twenty minutes?”

Torres stuttered, his face red and his eyes nearly black as he finally got the words out.

Sergio took a deep breath, exhaled and nodded, indicating to the seat across from himself.

Torres sighed in relief as he dropped into the seat across from him none too gracefully and placed his tray onto the table with shaky hands.

He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a waiter filling their glasses with water before disappearing. He looked around, making Sergio follow his gaze and found that Iker and Xabi were sharing a table, both Alphas in deep discussion and pretending to not see what was going on halfway across the dining hall. The rest of the team was oblivious and joking around or catching up with each other.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me for what I did. I know it was deliberately cruel.”

Torres got out, the words clipped and sharp as he spoke, leaving Sergio’s ears burning as he heard the words that he hadn’t ever really expected to hear from Torres.

“It was wrong and I won’t excuse it with saying that I was a scared nineteen year old trying to build what I _thought_  was a perfect life that didn’t include someone that I didn’t love.”

He took a deep breath and looked straight into Sergio’s eyes.

“I am truly sorry for putting you through that hell. You didn’t deserve any of it. I don’t know how much it is worth, but I mean it and I know we won’t ever be friends...But I would, in the future, hope we can be civil towards each other.”

Sergio looked down at his plate and toyed with his food, his stomach churning and his face going hot and cold at Nando’s words. He couldn’t taste the lie in them. He couldn’t see Nando lying. He had a glass face, his eyes always narrowing whenever he was displeased and his face going pale whenever he lied. No.

Nando wasn’t lying.

And despite wanting to vent his rage at what Nando did to him, he found that well of resentment and hurt and anger was simply dried out. He had waited for this to happen for so long and now that it had, he felt nothing against Nando. He was neutral towards him and it hit Sergio that even when he held Gaizka and saw Nando’s dark eyes in the face that looked like his, there wasn’t the old hurt anymore.

Iker being in his life had helped him heal and move on. Hearing Nando apologize for being an immature prick cemented the knowledge that he had healed and had moved on.

“I won’t lie, Nando. I was hurt. I was scared and if I hadn’t had Iker in my life...I wouldn’t have been able to be sitting here accepting your apology. I can’t regret us being together. I wouldn’t have had Gaizka otherwise.”

He whispered, making Nando’s face slowly regain its colour and his eyes fade out to normal brown again. His brow furrowed when he heard the kit’s name.

“Why Gaizka?”

Sergio shrugged. “Iker is half Basque and he wanted the name. It means “Saviour.” Iker was that for me and for him. How could I refuse?”

Nando smiled, an almost paper thin one as he nodded his head.

“How could you indeed?”

Sergio stopped playing with his food and gave him a sharp look.

“I...I love him and that is another reason why I can sit here and talk to you. You brought me to him and for that I have to give it to you. If you had said yes...I wouldn’t have him in my life.”

Nando put his fork down and cast another look over his shoulder to where Xabi and Iker were now watching them warily. They didn’t look like they were going to resort to violence, but had that air of readiness about them. He turned to look back at Sergio then.

“I have to thank you also. If you hadn’t called and made me see some truths...I wouldn’t have had the courage to go to Stevie and to Xabi and the kits, never mind be making amends to you. We wouldn’t have been happy together. Nor would I have been happy with my ex-fiancee.”

Sergio smiled ruefully. “I guess we did each other a favour then?”

Nando returned the smile. “I guess we did.”

Sergio laughed shortly at that. “Let’s eat. We have our closure.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Did you get what you wanted?”

Iker asked Sergio, who was combing out the tangles in his hair while Iker rocked Gaizka to sleep. The nanny had gone home for the day and they wanted to spend the night with Gaizka before they handed him over to his grandmother for the duration of the month.

They wouldn’t be leaving for three more days, but they wanted to get into the competitive mindset before they went over to Switzerland and Austria for the Euros.

Sergio hummed as he thought about it. He had. Not in the way that he had pictured it or expected it, but he had.

“We won’t be friends, but we can be civil. That’s enough, I think.”

Iker made a low noise in his throat as he moved towards him and deposited Gaizka in his arms, kissing him lightly on the nose.

“Besides, I can’t blame him for bailing, even though it was a dick move. We would have been miserable with each other, now that I know what it is be truly in love with someone.”

His voice was pitched low, making lust coil low in the pit of Iker’s belly.

He shivered before gasping at the sudden heat that was now scorching his entire body. Oh God. Oh God.

Sergio mewled low in response, moving quickly to deposit a sleeping Gaizka into his bassinet.

Once the kit was safely ensconced in his basket, he didn’t wait to push Iker down onto the bed and claim his mouth in a clash of teeth and tongues, making Iker growl in response. He flipped them over, so that Sergio was under him and roughly spread his legs with his knee, the growls getting deeper as he discovered Sergio was wetter than he had ever been and ready for Iker to take him. His scent was strong and making Iker dizzy.

It hadn’t happened before and it was only then that it clicked for Iker what was going on.

Sese was in heat.

He now understood why he had responded and why Sese was arching his back and baring his throat to Iker.

Sergio wanted Iker.

And Iker wasn’t going to let him wait any longer.

He ripped off what little clothing they wearing, leaving them bare and Sergio keening softly in his throat. He made a low crooning sound in response right before thrusting and sheathing himself into Sergio in one smooth movement.

Sergio cried out, clenching around him, making him gasp out and slow down, his mind overwhelmed by how hot and tight and good it felt.

It was the overwhelming feeling of pleasure and softness that made his rational mind recede and his animalistic mind take over then.

It was just heat and pleasure and blood and the taste of orange blossoms and pine under his teeth. He felt claws rake his back from shoulder to hip, but he didn’t care. All he was concerned about was making the Omega under him shout out in ecstasy as he fucked him.

That was all that was on his mind for the next few nights, as they repeated the scene over and over again until the morning of the second day, Iker woke up with Sergio contentedly purring as he kneaded Iker’s leg, the miasma of sex and their scents dissipating in the air.

“ _Puta Madre!”_ Iker muttered, feeling as if he had run the entire length of the football pitch and back three times.

So that was how a heat felt.

Fucking hell.

~*~*~*~*~

Sergio swallowed hard as he watched Iker read the results, his eyes flashing black, then gold at the news typed out on that red edged paper. He watched as Iker’s eyes scanned it over and over again before he finally put the paper down and looked at Sergio seriously.

“I’m happy, but Sese, are you? Gaizka’s only a year old. If you-”

“No! I am. I really am! Besides, we just won the Euros. Fuck them if they complain about another kit. They knew what they were getting into.”

Sergio replied, leaping into Iker’s arms and wrapping his own around his Alpha’s shoulders.

Iker laughed and followed suit, putting his hands on Sergio’s waist and pulling him close.

“ _Mi Nene.”_

He murmured before kissing him, softly, slowly and gently enough to make Sergio forget everything except that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nando-He's not going to get a complete white-wash here, but he does get a bit of redemption. He's had a year, more or less, to figure out that he was douchebag and that he needs to humble himself and make things right. He's also realistic in knowing that although Iker and Sergio won't kill him, they will never be friends.  
> Sergio-He forgives Nando mostly because he realises that despite how shit things looked, he really did do him a favour. I actually did find myself in a situation where I was screwed over badly and was _ticked_ right off. Once I saw that my life got 100% better, I couldn't stay angry. There was no point and that's how Sergio feels.  
>  Gaizka-I've really liked the name for ages and I read somewhere that Iker is half-Basque and it fit. Sergio named him that because he wanted the kit to belong _only_ to Iker. By doing this, it's clearly telling Nando to back off if he had any intentions in making a claim.  
>  Beta papers-I didn't have time for this and I did say I would explain it, but the Beta colour is blue.  
> Thank you all that read, commented and liked. Much appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> Ages-Iker is 23 to Sergio's 18 and Fernando's 19. I have moved up Sergio's trade while lowering his age to 2007. But it's a loose timeline.  
> Abortion in Spain-Up to 14 weeks for women. 7 weeks for male omegas. Omegas in this verse are pregnant for 6 months. Omega males are dams, Alphas are sires. Terminology the same for female Omegas and Betas of either gender.


End file.
